Thoughts on a Word

Through more than a decade of copy editing for women's magazines, I've had to spend a good deal of time pondering the exact words we use to describe appearance. What does it mean to be lovely instead of pretty? pretty instead of beautiful? beautiful instead of hot? hot instead of sexy? How have these words changed through history, both ancient and contemporary? Does the literal definition of these words match how they're used in our lives? How have these words been used to reinforce--or challenge--existing ideas about gender?

Drawing from etymology, history, and usage, I've looked at the link between gorgeous and excess (gorgeous shares a root with gorge, after all); between early uses of the word sexy and the Jewish faith; between bombshell and midcentury American anxiety, and more. Here's the list so far: